Gautam Gambhir 'honoured and excited' after succeeding Rahul Dravid as India head coach

Despite presiding over India's first T20 World Cup win since 2007 last month, Dravid decided against reapplying for the role after three years at the helm.

In his place steps Gambhir, the former India opener who amassed more than 10,000 runs in an international career comprising of 58 Tests, 147 ODIs and 37 T20s from 2003 to 2016.

Gambhir, who coached Kolkata Knight Riders to this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) title, said: "I am honoured and excited to take on the role of head coach for India.

"I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role.

"Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, head of cricket â- Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments."

BCCI secretary Jay Shah added: "Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward.

"His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role."

Gambhir's first series in his new role will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month.

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